SEL Friendly Books

[KaylaBerry1]

1. "The Big Umbrella" by Amy June Bates, is a children's book that teaches about inclusion. It explains to students that we are all different, but we can still get along and be friends with others. The author uses the illustration of fitting multiple people underneath one big umbrella to make a connection to including others even though they may be different than us. https://youtu.be/2DbyEC3T52Y 

• I feel that this book will allow children to continue to grow up in the way that they are even if they are not the same as everyone else around them. It is really important for students to understand at a young age that they are special in their own ways and everyone has their own talents that make them who they are. I think this book is a really good representation of that. 
• Through the illustrations in the book, he reader is able to pick out a lot of differences between the characters. From the color of skin, the number of legs you have, big or small, and short or tall, everyone is welcome under the big umbrella. It is a powerful message and the illustration of all of the differences under the umbrella is a great reminder that we are all different and it makes us who we are. 
• This story would help students become successful readers because it is fairly simple to read. Students will be able to read it and also be able to get the larger message out of it because they will be able to comprehend what it is talking about. I also think it will make successful readers at a young age and that is really important for the rest of their education. 

2. "Kindness Makes Me Stronger" by Elizabeth Cole, is a book about how to treat others kindly. The author includes many examples of how to do this which will give students more ideas of how to be kind. The main character soon realizes that the animals on the farm are not being nice to each other and throughout the book he shows and teaches them how to be kind, caring, and compassionate to one another and the farm is a much better place because of it. https://goodreads.com/book/show/58421209-kindness-makes-me-stronger 

• This story helps with personal growth for students because of the lesson it teaches about how kindness makes you a better person. It uses many simple examples and illustrations that allow the reader to think about how they could do this in their own life. This story gives students an understanding of what good things can happen if everyone would show some kindness. 
• Kindness is key when realizing that everyone is different. As the book goes on it talks about all the different things that each of the farm animals is good at and it shows that they are all different, but that means that when they are kind and work together many things get accomplished. 
• This story is more challenging than the one above, but the message is very good. Becoming a successful reader means you have to keep trying and working through harder books to keep on learning. This story would be good for learning life lessons while strengthening vocabulary and reading skills. 

3. "The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes" by Mark Pett, is a book about learning that it is okay to make mistakes and not be perfect. When the main character realizes this in the story, she is happier, takes more risks, and has more fun because she is no longer afraid to mess up. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11526654-the-girl-who-never-made-mistakes 

• I really liked this book when I read it because of the lesson it teaches. I have seen many children in the classroom that are very afraid to answer questions because they are not 100% sure that they got the answer right. This story shows that it is okay to take risks and to be wrong sometimes because in those moments are when you learn and grow the most and that is exactly what the main character in this book learned. 
• It is important to learn at a young age that you will be better at some things in life than others. Everyone will have their own talents and just because you are good at something does not mean you should boast or brag about it. When the main character of the book made her first mistake, she realized that not being good at everything is nothing to be ashamed about. Your talents are what makes you special. 
• This is a story that readers might be able to relate to which would give them the motivation to keep reading. The illustrations in this book are very good and keep you on track to what is happening in the story. The plot of the story is interesting and keeps you wanting to know what her first mistake will be.